Refuge
by SirArthurNudge
Summary: Executor Pallin has no love of humanity but he eventually makes an exception - set in ME1 and ME2 (and maybe ME3 eventually.)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Pallin sat in relative peace and quiet in one the many little green copses on the Presidium.

This little place was a bit out-of-the-way for the average denizen of the Citadel. It made it perfect. Peace and quiet could be hard to find as Executor, from both citizen and fellow C-Sec officers alike.

He sat back in the bench, let out a sigh and continued reading the datapad he had brought. It was some silly little novel that was a friend's recommendation, detailing the quite torrid love affair between an old turian senator and a young fresh-faced recruit. Not his usual read but it was something to tide him over till something better came his way.

He noticed out of the corner of his eye some new activity in his particular piece of heaven.

A young human - female from the body shape he surmised - came walking in. The girl was completely absorbed her own private thoughts.

She seemed skinny, far too skinny to be classed as healthy.

Her fur was not full of gloss and shine as Pallin had seen in humans that arrived in the Citadel. It seemed very limp for want of a better word. She wore some turian style clothes which surprised him to no end.

So intrigued was he by all this that he actually placed his datapad down and sat watching her.

* * *

Pallin had no great love of humanity.

He had fought as a young turian in the Relay 314 incident and had... well, he had lost a lot. There was a lot of anger inside him for this young species which tended to express itself in his tone of voice and his demeanour when he had to deal with them. Curiosity was not an emotion he associated the strongest within in himself when he was dealing with these pyjaks.

He began almost assessing her like he would assess a suspect or crime scene. She was not very tall for a human, maybe 5'7''. She had a colour in her fur that he had heard referred to as "blonde" and it seemed short, almost hacked in some places but now growing out. The girl had haphazardly tied the longest parts together at the back of her head – obviously hoping to keep it from falling into her face. Her eyes were large and seemed to show every flicker of emotion. They were the hue of the Presidium reservoirs, a lovely warm blue.

He tilted his head slightly at her. She still hadn't noticed that she had company in the park. She was too busy looking at the greenery with awe as if she had never seen it before.

She reached out hesitantly to touch a statue then recoiled as if afraid it would hurt.

"It doesn't bite. You can touch it." Pallin heard himself say.

The little human jumped and looked at him with wide frightened eyes. He watched them flicker briefly, assessing exits. Now that was interesting. Mixed in with obvious naivety was some more militaristic expertise. The stance she held, a good position for fleeing or engaging in combat although it was obvious her choice was going to be running. She was actively controlling her breathing. She assessed him, her eyes glancing over his neutral sitting position, over the datapad and very items he had brought.

"I'm sorry." she spoke softly. "I didn't know anyone was here. I..I will leave."

She made to head back the direction she came from.

* * *

Something possessed Pallin at that moment.

He should have let her go and rid his company of yet another human. But he didn't.

"Hold on. I think there is plenty of room here for two."

The human turned to face him, a curious look on her face. "I don't want to bother you. I just came by exploring. I'm kinda new around here."

Pallin smiled a little. "Well then, newcomer. Welcome to the Citadel."

He stood up, showing off his significant height and build advantage over her. He stepped carefully towards her, as if approaching an injured animal that was backed into a corner.

"My name is Pallin. I'm the C-Sec Executor."

He held out hand to her, anticipating a handshake. She looked at his outstretched hand then did something odd. She placed her small soft hand into his and just held it there. She looked Pallin into his eyes and held his gaze.

"My name is Anne. I'm glad to meet you Executor Pallin."

For a moment, Pallin felt something stir inside that he had not felt in a very long time. Her hand was warm in his and he felt her small digits slip so easily between his own. He drew back his hand and stood a bit straighter.

"How long have you been here? It's still not completely usual to see your species on the Citadel."

Anne brushed back a stray lock from her face and tried to hide the red colouring that was now covering her cheeks."I only arrived 3 days ago. The cargo ship, _Constantinople_, brought me here from Omega."

Pallin frowned. "Omega huh? What were you doing on Omega?"

Anne flushed even redder. "Nothing criminal!" she stuttered. "I just ended up there. I was barely there 2 days when I managed to get a place on the ship."

* * *

Pallin didn't lose that frown.

Omega only meant trouble and if this little human thought that she could get away with crimes on the Citadel then she was sorely mistaken.

"I'm afraid I will need your last name, miss."

She looked down at the ground and began fidgeting with her hands, "Its Harper. Anne Harper."

"Alright. Where is your home colony or are you from Earth? Do you have family here on the Citadel? Have you gotten a permanent address here? Work?"

"I'm not from Earth. I don't know exactly where I'm from. Somewhere in the Terminus systems I guess. No family, at least none here anyway. I got a job. The Craxius Restaurant in the Presidium. I am training to be a chef."

Pallin quirked a brow-plate at her. "You are training to be a chef in a purely dextro restaurant?"

Anne looked at him. "Yeah. There is nothing wrong with that you know! Marcus says I'm good, that I have real potential."

Pallin said nothing. There was a fire in her eyes now, it radiated out honesty. Unusual for a human he thought to himself.

"Okay. Let me go back. How do you not know where you are from?"

The human fidgeted more. "My family didn't really give out a lot of information. I guess they never thought that I would ever head out on my own."

Anne looked at the floor. "I stowed away on a freighter ship that had docked. Got as far as Omega and now I'm here."

Pallin sighed. "You know that I am going to have to tell this to the Alliance authorities. Your family is probably worried about you and if you are under-age then you will need to be returned to their custody."

* * *

Anne chewed her bottom lip then her face seemed to light up. "Oh wait! I have an id!"

She pulled out a battered looking omnitool, a very old version. She clipped it on and brought up the personal details. Pallin activated his own and swiftly downloaded them. He added some other pertinent ones for the C-Sec files.

"So, Miss Harper. It says here that you are 24. I think that is over the legal age for your species. Where are you currently domiciled?"

Anne looked blankly at Pallin.

"Living. Where are you currently living?" Pallin corrected.

"Sorry. I knew that it's just... I have found it hard to focus lately. Marcus has given me a room temporarily. Just a box room upstairs from the restaurant."

"Do you intend on moving?"

Anne nodded.

"Well, once you do I would ask that you update your files at C-Sec."

Pallin looked at the time on his omnitool. Lunch was over. He let out a sigh and collected his things from the bench.

"Are you leaving?" Her voice was soft, almost unsure.

He turned to her. "I have work to get back to."

"But you haven't eaten much. Sorry, I saw the little meal you brought. I would hate to think that I disturbed your lunch hour."

"You have no need to concern yourself, Miss Harper. I very rarely have time for food. It is one of the many disadvantages of being Executor. Now it has been a pleasure but I must be heading back. I hope you enjoy your time on the Citadel and please, stay out of trouble."

Pallin walked away, glancing back once to see the little human in her far too baggy turian clothes leaning against the rail and staring into the water.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It started the very next day with a delivery of drizzik stew.

Pallin was sitting in his office, working through his lunch break like usual, when a delivery arrived.

"Package here for you, sir. It's from Craxius Restaurant." The turian courier who was delivering raised an eyebrow at Pallin. "Lucky you, Executer. They make some fine foods there."

Pallin said nothing. He merely nodded and then inspected the delivery. It smelled divine at least. He opened the delivery box to reveal a sealed container with steaming hot and golden stew.

He hadn't had real turian food like this in quite a while.

There was a small handwritten note with the delivery. He signed for it and let the courier go.

He stared at the piece of paper in his hand. It was in Alliance basic which he couldn't read but a quick scan with his omnitool revealed the contents.

It was from the human he had met the previous day.

"To Executor Pallin,  
You should really eat a lot more than what you do so here is some drizzik stew I made this morning with Marcus.  
He tells me that it is the best thing for hungry turians! I hope you enjoy it.  
Sincerely, Anne Harper."

Pallin snorted but didn't throw the note away. It was very rare in this day and age to have handwritten notes.

He carefully placed it into one of the bottom drawers in his desk before turning his attention to the food.

The smell was intoxicating.

* * *

"Wow. Drizzik stew! I knew something smelled damn good around here."

Pallin looked up to the find the young Chellick boy at his door.

"Detective, I would imagine there are other things for you to be doing."

Chellick grinned. "I was here to deliver this, Executor. Vakarian's report on that salarian doctor. He wants to face the tribunal over what happened when the good doctor escaped."

Pallin let out a long-suffering sigh. He glanced at the datapad. There was going to be war over this with Vakarian's parents and he was going to get the brunt of it.

"Thank you. You are excused."

"Any chance I could get a taste of that..."

Pallin looked up.

"No. Goodbye, Chellick."

* * *

The next day more food arrived. And the day after. And the day after that.

It continued on that way for the better part of four months.

Pallin had sent word to the restaurant that he appreciated the sentiment but that it should stop.

It didn't.

Every note she sent with the food detailed how important it was to eat and eat right. She included little titbits of her life, new friends and places she had seen.

In spite of himself, Pallin began to look forward to the little messages she sent. It helped that the food was good too.

* * *

Then as it must always, one day no food came.

No little note to brighten his day either.

Pallin had been at a loss about why he felt so bereft.

By the third day of nothing, Pallin had enough. He went over every C-Sec report from the previous week, making sure none involved a little human with big blue eyes and blonde hair or the name Anne Harper. Nothing came up.

He became distracted from his work. He berated himself internally - he had wanted her to stop so why was he upset when she finally did?

He never responded to her messages so why was he surprised when she stopped sending them?

The answers alluded him.

He even caught himself rereading her last couple of messages, analysing them as careful as he would a piece of evidence to see if they held any sort of clues.

Finally, on the fourth day of ruminating, he dragged himself out of his chair and headed to Craxius.

* * *

It was a nice place.

Very popular among the dextro population although he had only been personally a handful of times.

When he arrived, he was greeted by a quite attractive young turian waitress.

After assuring her that he wasn't looking for a table and in fact was there to ask after Anne Harper, she chirped excitedly about how the human was such a great person and a wonderful cook.

She confided to Pallin that Anne had been taken ill and was recovering at home - which he also discovered was no longer in a room above the restaurant.

He thanked her for her help.

As he turned to leave, she asked if he was going to visit her.

Pallin stopped for a moment, hesitated, then turned and replied yes.

He didn't know why he did that.

The turian, Carvilla, smiled and handed him a package. "Please take this to her. I was going to call over tonight but I have to do some overtime to help out. Tell her that I'll be over tomorrow. Thank you, Executor."

Pallin nodded and left.

* * *

Just outside, he realised that he had forgotten to ask her for Anne's address.

He took a chance and quickly brought up Anne's files from the C-Sec archives. He smiled almost giddily as he realised she had done exactly as he had asked her to - her new address was filed.

That smile disappeared into a frown almost immediately after as he realised where she was living.

It was a rough neighbourhood in Tayseri ward. That place was mess that kept even the keepers struggling to maintain.

Not somewhere he would have recommended to anyone to rent.

It didn't take too long to find her apartment once he finally got there.

Very few sections had working lighting although the keepers were hard at work fixing that.

The outer pad of her apartment door was heavily graffitied and appeared to have taken damage from firearm discharge.

A sinking feeling hit Pallin right in the stomach.

He knocked. He heard from behind the door shuffling and coughing.

* * *

Finally the door opened.

Anne was wrapped up in layers and layers of coats, socks, gloves and hats.

No wonder he mused as he entered the apartment. It was freezing in here.

Anne looked at him in surprise. Her face had paled significantly with red blotchy patches around her nose.

Pallin placed the palm of his hand on her cheek. "Spirits you are freezing up in here."

"I wasn't expecting you of all people to come looking for me, Executor."

Pallin snorted. "I might have noticed the lack of lovely food arriving at lunch time."

Anne's mouth quirked up at the side. "Heh. I didn't think you would notice. I guess that's something I suppose."

Pallin looked around. The flat was dingy. A one bed flat with very few working components he surmised.

He absent-mindedly handed the package from Craxius to Anne.

"Your friend from the restaurant – Carvilla I believe her name was - wanted you to have this."

He was still assessing the property. This place should have been condemned not rented out he thought.

"Oh brilliant! My medicine."

Pallin turned to her. She seemed so much weaker than when he had last seen her.

Covered up by a mountain of clothes and she still managed to look so damn thin. Did she eat at all pondered Pallin.

An idea began to form in his head that he couldn't get rid of, like an itch he couldn't scratch.

Anne struggled to open the package with her fingers being so cold.

Pallin took it from her and easily tore it open.

Inside were some vials marked as human painkillers and antivirals. Anne sighed as she used an auto-injector to get some pain relief.

* * *

Pallin sat on the side of the couch staring at the damp walls and the generally terrible conditions.

Suddenly he knew what he was going to do.

After a brief internal fight over it, he turned to the human and said, "Pack up your things. You are coming with me."

Anne looked up with sleepy eyes. "What?"

"I said pack up your things. I am not leaving you here in this place. It will be the death of you. You will stay with me until you can organise a better apartment."

"This was the best place that I could afford..."

"I am sure you can do better. Even renting a room would be better than this."

Pallin wrinkled his nose in disgust at the walls.

Anne was getting incredibly shaky and was sinking into the heavily repaired couch that was in the living room.

Pallin grabbed the vial she had injected. It had a warning indicating the sedative effects of the drug.

"Oh spirits. Right. Hold on. I'll get you to the car."

Pallin caught her and lifted her up into his arms.

Anne was getting too sleepy to protest and just locked her hands around his neck.

* * *

Once he got her settled into the vehicle, he went and quickly threw whatever personal items he could find into a box.

Just a few bits of clothes, medicine, some datapads and a few holo-images – all of which came from her time on the Citadel.

He lifted one to see an image of a much healthier but still ridiculously malnourished Anne with Carvilla at some event in the Presidium.

He quickly tapped out a message to Craxius detailing where Anne would be for the foreseeable future and if they had any questions to direct them to him.

He closed the door behind him, quickly used his omnitool to scan the graffiti and damage to the console.

He was definitely going to review that later.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The trip to his home was not too long.

He lifted her as carefully as he could manage into his apartment.

To do so while carrying the small box of her personal possessions meant that Pallin had to sling her over his shoulder.

He received a number of quizzical looks from his neighbours as he walked in.

Pallin just set his jaw and continued on his journey.

They would talk if they wished to but it would only be idle gossip. Everyone knew that he was a turian to be respected. If anyone wished to query him then Pallin would have no issue telling the truth.

He had nothing to hide.

* * *

After struggling with the keypad to the main door, he finally managed to get inside.

Pallin headed straight for the spare bedroom. He dropped the box of items on the floor of the room as he laid her carefully down on to the bed.

She needed to lose a lot of the layers she wore.

He had no doubt she was probably sweating all the water from her body in that get-up.

At least in this apartment, she could be warm without the need for such a pile of clothes on her.

Pallin debated whether he should contact someone of the female persuasion to perform the task before he chided himself.

It was a human.

It would be a different matter if they were of the same species.

Still he couldn't help but be hesitant as he started to carefully removed the excess clothing.

After some careful manipulating of the sleeping human to allow the removal of some jackets and shirts, he finally saw her pale bare skin.

He had never seen a human as naked as Anne was at that moment except in textbooks. And - if he was honest - the only other times he could recall, those other humans were covered in blood while they lay dying or already dead.

* * *

He watched as her frail looking skin shifted, her muscles moving underneath the thin layer.

He became fascinated by the way her ribcage expanded before retracting with her breaths.

Pallin had never been particular enthralled with the asari and their own physical attributes but Anne's breathing was moving her mounds of flesh he had heard referred to as breasts in a not unattractive way to his eyes.

Now came a more delicate situation.

He had to remove the clothes from the lower areas. Once more he thought to call for a female neighbour but again internally berated himself. This was nothing of a deviant and sexual nature. He was aiding someone as part of his role within C-Sec.

Pallin completed his task as quickly as he could.

Soon, a pile of clothes had built up on the floor beside him. As he tugged off the last remaining scrap of fabric, Pallin tried to stop himself but he looked at her more private areas.

There was a mass of dark fur at the junction between her thighs. It was not quite the same as he had seen in his studies. She obviously trimmed them to some degree.

He stared at for a moment before he snapped out of whatever daze he was in. He was angry at himself. Curiosity was no excuse for staring at her in this weakened state.

* * *

Pallin quickly picked up an old blanket he had folded on a chair and used it to covered her lower parts.

As he did so, his hand brushed off her soft abdomen. Pallin yanked the offending limb backwards as if he had been electrically shocked.

He had never touched a human before... at least not in a way that wasn't intended to maim or kill.

Pallin swallowed nervously – all good sense leaving his addled brain - as he hesitantly placed the palm of his hand on her abdomen.

She was soft. Incredibly soft and yet he could feel there was still some strength in the muscles that lay just under the surface.

Anne moaned in her sleep as his hand started to stroke the soft flesh of her stomach as if he petted a varren. How did they survive at all with this softness he mused to himself.

Another moan from the sleeping Anne and Pallin pulled away sharply.

* * *

He was horrified with himself. How could he have done that he almost screamed.

His mind was in turmoil as he worked quickly to sort out what was necessary. Pallin had forgotten himself and had breached this young woman's trust. Once she awoke, Pallin would confess this lapse of judgement on his part and hoped she could forgive him.

He went out and return with one of his large shirts and a bowl of warm water with a cloth. He gently wiped her down, tending to her sweaty skin before drying her carefully.

Pallin then placed her into his large shirt and got her under the sheets.

He stared at her for a time before his foot touched off the pile of clothes on the floor. He bundled them up into his arms and left.

Pallin threw the items into the cleaner and then poured himself a drink. He had picked up some of his preferred Palaven brands that last time he had been to that world.

After fixing himself a glass, he sat on the couch and picked up the datapad thrown on it. That damn novel was still open. He was only halfway through.

Pallin took a gulp of his drink and continued reading.

It was something at least to keep his mind occupied.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The book did not distract him enough.

Pallin flung it on the opposite sofa to the one he sat in. His mandibles flickered as he internally debated himself.

He finally stood up, tugged his clothes back into proper order and strode into the spare room.

Anne was sweating heavily.

Her hair clung to her forehead in wet clumps while his tunic that was wrapped around her body was soaked through in patches.

She had kicked off the blankets in her sickness-driven tossing and turning. Her eyes opened a little as Pallin approached her.

"Anne? Can you hear me?"

"Who... is... Anne?" she gasped out.

Pallin froze.

* * *

He knelt beside her. "What is your name?"

He gently used his fingers to pry open one of her eyelids a little further. Her pupils were dilated and she was clearly still under the influence of the medication she had taken.

Pallin repeated the question.

"What is your name?"

"81..975..004," she breathed out.

Pallin frowned. "Those are numbers. Are those numbers your name?"

She had passed out again.

He sat beside her for a moment before he opened his omnitool.

"Dr T'Alera? Executor Pallin. Forgive my abruptness but have you much experience in human illnesses? I have need of such skills at this time... that would be perfect. Thank you, doctor."

* * *

Pallin glanced down at the human in the bed before he headed out to his desk.

He quickly noted down the numbers she had mumbled in her drugged state.

While waiting for the doctor to arrive, Pallin tried to work out what those digits meant. He initially took them to be a service number of some kind.

After numerous searches had turned up empty, he put the datapad containing them into the bottom drawer of his desk. He would have to ask her directly for their relevance.

The door beeped.

It snapped Pallin out of his thoughts and he quickly got up to answer it.

A pretty asari stood in front of him. Her facial markings of pale purple stood out against the blue of her skin. She smiled warmly at him as she held a bag in front of her with both hands.

"Executor."

"Doctor. Please... come in."

He stood aside to let her enter the apartment.

"Your patient is this way," he said after he closed the door.

The asari seemed confused. "Patient?"

Pallin frowned. "Yes. The patient. I had inquired if you could treat humans. Was I mistaken?"

"Oh no! I can... I just... it doesn't matter."

"I don't understand."

The asari was blushing. "It is no matter, Executor. Let me see this human then."

Pallin shook his head at the asari's strange behavior before he led her to the spare room.

* * *

T'Alera put her bag on the floor and started to scan Anne.

She let out a breath at the results and motioned for Pallin to follow her out of the room.

"Executor... is there something I should know?"

"What do you mean?"

T'Alera opened her omnitool and displayed the results of the scan. The image on it was covered in lines.

"What are those, doctor?"

"Those are earlier surgery scars."

Pallin gaped. Anne's entire body was covered in them – from short to long, bisecting bone and flesh all over.

"But she doesn't have any scars on her body..."

"All of these are subcutaneous. It's like they did the surgery, tied up what they needed then accelerated repair of the skin so no scars would be visible. I have seen this type of thing once before, Executor."

He looked up at the asari and waited politely for her to continue.

"It was when I had to view Saleon's work. I think this human was an experimental subject," she said quietly.

Pallin let out a breath.

The numbers made sense now. It wasn't related to military service or anything remotely like that.

He glanced in to the room at the unconscious human who rolled on to her side.

It was her specimen number he mused.

* * *

Another thought struck him.

"Her illness? Does it pose any threat to the station?"

T'Alera shook her head. "It's just a common cold. She is just not able to combat it effectively. I would almost say that she has never been exposed to it before. I can prescribe some medication that will help her."

Pallin nodded.

"Thank you."

The doctor stayed for a while longer to assess Anne while Pallin rushed out to the nearest pharmacy.

He returned with medicine, along with levo food items and some clothes he assumed would fit the small human.

Pallin had no idea what he was to get so explained to the assistants - with only some basic details - what Anne might require.

The asari attendants had returned with various pieces of clothing, each they had insisted were essential for any asari or human's wardrobe.

He had merely hummed in agreement and paid for the items.

* * *

T'Alera helped him bathe Anne once more before putting her in to the nightwear that the doctor had identified among the bags.

They settled her once more beneath the covers.

With their job for the night complete, Pallin walked the doctor out to the door.

"Thank you. I fear Anne might not have lasted the night if not for your prompt arrival. You have my gratitude and undoubtedly hers when she finally awakens."

"And her... scars?"

"I intend on asking her directly on the subject once she is in a better state."

T'Alera nodded carefully.

"Ahem... I was wondering... could I trouble you for a drink?"

Pallin tilted his head. "Forgive my rudeness. Water or tea? I believe I bought some asari fruit drinks. They should be in those bags."

He headed over to the kitchen but was interrupted by the asari giggling.

"I meant something alcoholic."

"Oh. I am afraid I don't have any levo based alcohol."

The asari flushed. "Its okay. Stupid idea anyway."

Pallin frowned. "I don't..."

T'Alera stopped him. "Its okay really. Ahem, I'll-I'll call over tomorrow! See how the patient is doing."

"Thank you for your kind offer."

The asari nodded and grinned. "Okay! I'll see you then."

She left the apartment, leaving Pallin frowning at the door as it closed.

Something had happened there that he had missed.

He shook his head before heading back to the room containing Anne.

* * *

Pallin took the seat beside her and rested his hand on the bed.

He hummed a little as he felt her small hand grab on to his, intertwining its fingers with his own.

Anne whimpered a little, her dreams obviously troubling her. Pallin gently gripped her hand a little tighter and smiled as her whimpers started to fade.

He agilely pulled over a spare chair using his feet before resting the very same ones on it. He then draped a spare blanket over himself.

Pallin closed his eyes and drifted off slowly to sleep.

His hand remained on the bed, tightly gripped in a smaller softer one.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Pallin blearily opened his eyes.

He slowly sat up, checked the time on his omnitool and began to rub his sore neck. He yawned with mandibles flickering out wide as he stretched.

Pallin grimaced. His neck was quite painful. He slowly started to move his head up and down carefully, stretching out the complaining muscles.

As he did so, his gaze landed on the bed. Pallin froze.

It was empty, the sheets disheveled in a pile to the far side where Anne had pulled them back to.

He carefully pushed the two chairs he had slept on apart and stood up. Pallin placed a hand on the bed sheets. They were still warm.

Anne must be somewhere nearby.

He quickly went out into the living area and found his house guest at work.

* * *

Anne was in the kitchen and cooking.

From the smell alone his stomach started growling. Her hair was still damp from sweat while she herself seemed unsteady on her feet as she hovered over a couple of pans bubbling on the stove.

Pallin stayed silent and stared at those strange feet of hers with all those small digits.

His eyes flickered up slowly along her muscular calves, knees and part of her thighs not hidden by the nightwear he had purchased.

Seeing her standing there in the strange dress, Pallin realized how much the item exposed of her.

The asari shop assistants obviously had gotten the wrong idea. Not that he was complaining.

He shook his head at that particular thought. He needed to get a grip. This was a human after all.

Anne realized she was being watched and turned to face him.

Her eyes gave away her deep tiredness and she gave him a weary smile. Pallin couldn't stop his gaze from wandering down from her face.

He quickly scanned over her barely covered breasts and the tiny waist that the dress showed off before he regained his senses. He brought his gaze back up to her face but, to his chagrin, the image of her body was burned into his mind.

Anne, however, seemed unaffected by her state of dress.

* * *

"You should be resting," he finally said coolly.

"I... ahem... I woke up and thought I might make you some breakfast."

"I appreciate the gesture but you really should be in bed recovering. Do you remember anything from last night?"

Anne shook her head, her hair barely keeping within grip she used to tie it back with.

"I am so sorry. I don't want to be trouble for you. For anyone."

Pallin frowned.

"You are not trouble. At least, you have not proved yourself to be as of this moment. Now, back to bed."

"Wait! It's nearly ready."

She turned back to the cooker and assessed the food. Pallin found his eyes wandering back to her waist.

Before he could stop the thought from entering his head, he realized he really wanted to touch her. He wanted to put his hand on the small of her back, wrap it around that waist and to feel the softness he knew existed there. He wanted to touch her rear and see how those attractive curves felt beneath his hands.

A wave of deep shame and revulsion swept over him.

Pallin was almost grateful for it as it killed those feelings he didn't want to have or acknowledge. It was a human after all.

They were damn overgrown pyjaks he berated to himself. It was practically a form of bestiality to consider them in a sexual way.

* * *

Another thought finally entered his mind to his everlasting relief.

"Anne... there are some things I need to discuss with you."

"Just one second..." she said softly. He watched as she quickly dished out the breakfast she had made for him. Anne laid the food on the plate with the same care as if she made it in Craxius itself.

She slowly carried it to Pallin and handed it to him with a bright smile.

"There you go. Should be nice. Its the most popular dish in the morning service at work."

Pallin stared down at the plate in his hands. It smelled delicious and looked it too.

"You are going to have to restrict your movements from now on. Until Doctor T'Alera is satisfied that you are better, you are not going to move from that bed unless its to use the bathroom. Are we clear?" he said bluntly.

Anne looked almost heartbroken. Her eyes welled up a little and she nodded slowly.

Pallin bit back a curse and put the plate he held on to the kitchen counter.

"I mean... thank you for the breakfast. I am very grateful and I have no doubt it is going to taste as good as it looks."

Anne's face brightened a little at his words.

"But now, back to bed. We can talk about what we need to there."

The human slowly made her way back to the room with Pallin at her side ready to catch her if weakness over took her.

* * *

Once she was back in the bed – and helpfully covered up by the sheets to Pallin's relief, he hummed a little as he sought to frame the right words to say.

"Firstly... I need to ask your forgiveness."

Anne looked confused. "My forgiveness?"

Pallin let out a deep breath and fidgeted. "When... when I brought you here, I had to strip you of your clothes."

Anne flushed bright pink. "Oh..."

"You must forgive me but I didn't act completely chivalrously. I... touched your abdomen. I mean..."

Pallin paced a little awkwardly next to the bed before he suddenly said, "I stroked it. Your stomach I mean. I have no idea what possessed me but it was deeply wrong of me to take such advantage of you in that state."

A small smile quirked the side of Anne's mouth and she stifled a giggle. "Okay... I mean... I'm not angry over it."

"I took advantage of your weakened state. I acted abominably."

"It's okay to be curious."

He shook his head. "I am far too old to be."

* * *

Anne bit her lip. "How about I get to touch your stomach? Then we will be even!"

Pallin gaped at her. "My... stomach?"

"Sure!"

"That would not be in any way appropriate. I – ah – it just... hmm."

"We would be even! I won't tell anyone. I swear! I just have never seen a turian even halfway unclothed and I am kinda curious too."

Pallin paled a little. "I... I must admit that I didn't expect you to make that kind of request."

Anne looked down at her hands. "Its okay if it's too much. I mean I forgive you as it is."

He hummed for a moment before he let out a breath. "All right. I... don't think the request is too unreasonable. Unusual perhaps, and not what I expected certainly."

She gave a shy smile and sat up better on the bed. "You might need to take off your tunic so I can see."

Pallin hesitated before he started to remove his top. He stopped midway and asked softly, "Are you certain of this?"

Anne nodded. Pallin internally cursed before he shrugged off his tunic. He carefully placed it on the side chair before he turned around to face the human.

* * *

"Wow..." she said softly.

"Wow?"

"Yeah. I didn't expect..."

Anne stopped, blushed a bright red before she dragged herself to the edge of the bed.

"Can I touch..." she trailed off with embarrassment.

Pallin swallowed nervously before he walked over and stood in front of her. He nearly groaned as her small hands hesitantly reached out and touched his chest curiously.

"You have these... plates... everywhere?"

"Mostly."

Her small hands ran down the large plate sections on the upper section of his chest before skimming over the smaller and broken up plates on his midriff. Pallin watched the wonder on her face as she investigated the metal pieces themselves.

He suddenly caught her hands and stopped their caresses as they drifted along his waist.

She looked up at him confused. Pallin shook his head.

"Forgive me but that area tends to be... sensitive for turians."

"Sensitive?"

"It is a well-known erogenous zone. I rather not... ahem... well, you get the idea."

Anne turned bright red. "S-s-s-s-sorry! I didn't know!"

Pallin put his tunic back on as she continued to stare. "It is fine. Now we are... even?"

She nodded and gave him a small smile.

* * *

Pallin adjusted his top carefully before he turned his attention back to Anne who was smiling at him warmly.

"I know Anne is not your real name."

The human froze. Those blue eyes went wide.

"I-I-I don't know what you are talking about."

"81975004... Tell me what those numbers mean to you."

Pallin watched as sheer dread washed over her face.

"I don't know what..."

"You said them to me last night – after you implied that 'Anne' was not your name."

"I-I-I-I..."

"Doctor T'Alera – during her scan of you – discovered internal scarring from earlier operations. She believes that most would have perhaps come from experimentation. It would also explain the number. Was that the number they assigned you?"

Anne stared at her hands. "I can't remember," she choked out.

Pallin suddenly realized that she was shaking.

He took her hands into his own.

"You can trust me. My job is to serve and protect. But... in order for me to help you, I will need as much information as you can give me."

"You can't help me, Executor. I can't let you. They will take you away. Make you disappear."

"Who will?"

She was silent for a moment before she finally spoke. "Will... will you let me leave?" she asked quietly.

Pallin frowned. "Leave? Where do you plan on going?"

"You-you told me to not be trouble and I have really tried. If you let me go, I promise I won't come back to the station! They haven't found me yet and I could easily go somewhere else and-and..."

* * *

He sat down on the bed to her surprise, her bright blue eyes finally gazing up at him.

"I imagine it has been hard for you, both running from and keeping such a secret. I don't wish you to leave the station. I only want to help – both you and others like you. That is what C-Sec is for. We can protect you but only with the right information. Will you tell me all that you know?"

She blinked and then nodded. "I am tired. Would... would it be all right if I sleep first? Remembering drains me so much."

Pallin gave her a slight smile. "All right. Doctor T'Alera will be coming to check up on you later today."

Anne frowned. "Should... shouldn't you be getting ready for work?"

"I have taken a personal day. In fact, I may work from home for the next few days."

"I hope that's not because of me." she said weakly.

"No, no. I just need some time off. No time like the present."

"Oh."

Pallin watched her eyes. She was scanning around.

He bit back on his frustration. He knew that if she got a chance, Anne would disappear. She was preparing to run.

Unfortunately for her, Pallin was not intending on giving her such a chance.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Pallin left Anne to her attempts at getting to sleep.

He took a seat on one of his couches and stared intently out the large apartment window.

From it, he could see the vast ships that constantly made their way and out of the station to the back drop of the vast colourful nebula that surrounded it all.

He almost sighed. Sometimes he really missed the simple things that others took for granted on worlds – like rainstorms or even sunsets.

The Citadel became so damn bland after a time.

* * *

He dragged his mind back to the task at hand and opened his omnitool.

He tapped into the automated systems of his apartment. After opening and shutting his bedroom door from where he sat, Pallin relaxed back quietly.

All he had to do was wait and listen.

After forty minutes or so, he tilted his head slightly as his sensitive hearing picked up the faint sound of Anne getting out of the bed.

There was some rustling noises too – she was clearly attempting to get dressed in whatever she could find.

He shook his head a little at the predictability of it.

With his keen hearing focused almost entirely on what was going on behind the spare bedroom door, he nearly jumped out of his skin at the intercom alarming.

It had obviously disturbed the attempting to escape Anne as he could the bed faintly creak as she threw herself back under the covers.

Pallin slowly dragged himself off the couch, grumbling at his sore old bones before reaching the intercom.

* * *

It was Dr. T'Alera.

He opened the main door for her and waited patiently for her to arrive.

The asari was slightly breathless and panting when she finally did.

"Sorry... Executor... damn lift... got stuck... five floors down..."

Pallin merely nodded and stood back to let her in.

"Would you like a drink? Water perhaps?"

"That would be very much appreciated. Thank you, Executor."

He went in to the kitchen with the asari right on his heels. So close was she that they ended up colliding as Pallin turned to reach for a glass.

"Oh! Sorry..." she mumbled.

He waved away her apologies.

"It might be prudent to keep a slightly greater distance from me than what you currently are, Doctor. I am unsure of asari social niceties but - for turians at least - space is very much appreciated."

T'Alera flushed.

"S-s-s-sorry! I just... ahem... really wanted the water..."

Pallin frowned, looked at the empty glass in his hand before he handed it over.

"There are bottles of water in the fridge. Please help yourself to whatever you require."

She smiled at him before scurrying over and pouring herself a glass. T'Alera drank it down eagerly before she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Ahem... the patient... how is she this morning?"

"Better but I believe you are more qualified than I to make such a judgement. Let us go and see her."

* * *

Pallin padded over to the spare bedroom door.

The asari was still keeping too close for his own personal tastes but she seemed to have taken his advice to heart and he was hopeful that any more collisions would be avoided.

He gently rapped on the door.

Anne's voice answered softly, "You can come in."

She was back under the covers and obviously confident that her first attempt at escape was successfully undetected.

Pallin looked around for what she had been using to clothe herself before hissing out a breath when he realised that he had left the bag containing the items he had bought for her the day before in the room.

He casually went over and picked up the bag with the various items within having clearly been put back inside hastily.

"Ah. Here they are. I'll just take these for the moment. You will not be needing them right now."

Pallin glanced quickly at Anne's face.

The human had covered up the look of surprise and disappointment well.

This would at least be a stumbling block to her attempts for the moment... unless she decided to escape in just that flimsy negligee and undergarments she was wearing.

Pallin immediately rued his mistake as his mind and body treacherously took him back to how she had appeared in those scraps of fabric this morning.

He coughed out, "Anne, this is Dr. T'Alera. She will be examining you. If you both don't mind, please excuse me for a moment."

Pallin headed outside and turned to the left once outside the door where he stopped.

* * *

Once the door had closed, he leaned back against wall.

He glanced downwards. Thankfully his unwanted arousal had not made itself visible although it deeply disturbed him how close it had been to doing so from just a memory. He thought he had left his awkward teenage years far behind him.

Pallin let out a breath before he took the bag of clothes and dumped it on the floor in his very clean and carefully organised bedroom.

He went to his bathroom and splashed water on his face before staring in the mirror.

It was just because he hadn't been with a woman in a while he decided.

Work had dominated his life for the past several years and, while he had never been short of company, he clearly needed more than he thought he did. He would just have to get out and meet a nice turian woman.

Hell, even an asari would do if just to get rid of those blasted thoughts.

He shook his head a little in a vain hope to clear out the thoughts he desperately wished he didn't have.

After using a towel to dry his face, he headed back out to the others.

* * *

Pallin didn't think twice before opening the door to find a stark naked Anne standing as T'Alera examined her.

She stood in sideways profile to him and Pallin's mouth gaped open as his gaze racked over her body.

The two looked over at him.

Anne flushed bright red and froze, the shock on her face apparent.

The asari just chuckled.

"Are you okay, Executor?"

"I-I-I-I'm... just gonna... forgive me..."

He dived out of the room to the sound to the asari's laughter.


	7. Chapter 7

**Just want to say thanks to everyone for the reviews, faves, follows, etc. You guys are awesome. I know! Two chapters in a short space of time! :D I normally work on this story between gaps in "Crucible" and "Interference" chapters so hopefully that will explain why you get no updates for awhile before getting a load at once. This chapter has mature bits in it which I tend to be really bad at writing so please forgive it! Hope you all enjoy and I might have another update for this story in a few days time. **

* * *

Chapter 7

That was the last thing that she had expected to happen.

Once the doctor had finished her examination, Anne desperately threw back on what little she had worn and dived back under the sheets of the bed.

She felt like her entire body was on fire and not from the sickness. It was from pure embarrassment.

She could deal with Pallin having seen her naked when she hadn't been conscious to see it but now...

Anne curled up under the covers. She didn't want to remember the look on his face as he saw her body. It was worse than she imagined.

The sight of her naked had obviously disgusted him.

She closed her eyes tight and prayed for the images to leave her mind.

* * *

T'Alera stared down curiously at the human. Anne had closed her eyes tightly and curled under the sheets.

Obviously not feeling to good she decided.

She flicked through the various items in her bag. She found the auto-injector she wanted. After setting the amount of drug she needed, the asari gently shook Anne by the shoulder.

"This will make you feel a lot better. Have you had any food today yet?"

The human sat up in the bed. "No. I always forget. Bad habit."

"Hmm. That we will need to change. Well, stay here. I can make you something. Can't give you this without you having some food in you as it will suppress your appetite for a few hours. You rest there for a moment. I shouldn't be too long."

T'Alera frowned as she stepped out of the room. She had expected Pallin to be somewhere in the living space but he clearly wasn't.

"Executor?" she shouted out to no reply.

She went to his bedroom door. There was some faint noises from inside.

She smiled. He was such a good man. Clearly embarrassed over what he had walked into.

She timidly knocked.

"Y-yes?" he stuttered back, his voice slightly out of sorts.

"It's T'Alera. I was wondering if it was all right that I cooked something for Anne in your kitchen. She needs some sustenance."

"That is perfectly fine, Doctor. Do what you need to."

She stepped away.

Not a couple of paces from the door, she turned back and said, "There is no need to be embarrassed at the human's nakedness. I don't think any less of you and neither does she. You can come out."

"I am not embarrassed but thank you for your concern. Forgive me for being a little rude but I have some important documents that need to be sorted in here. I will be with you shortly."

T'Alera let out a sigh and shrugged before heading back to the kitchen.

* * *

Pallin grimaced as he lied to the doctor, his hard cock still in his frantically pumping hand while he did his damnedest to keep his voice calm.

He had never been so grateful that no other species so far encountered could pick up on the subtle fluxes in turian voices.

He let out a harsh breath as his cock spasmed but still refused to climax.

Spirits, he needed the release otherwise this day was going to end in disaster.

His memory was no help, refusing to go back to previous encounters that had been very enjoyable - instead it always drifted back to Anne.

He didn't trust his imagination on this either so quickly used his omnitool to look up vids or anything else that would help at this stage.

He just couldn't let himself think of the human. Anything but the human.

As his desperation increased, he stumbled across something that sent shivers through his body.

Pallin finally let go of his inhibitions for one moment and pressed play.

The volume was on low but he could clearly hear the panting gasps, slapping of plates and flesh, and the moans of encouragement.

He stared intently at the couple on the screen; a turian male pistoning into a human female hard from behind – the turian's taloned hand gripping the human's hair and yanking her back towards him in an arch.

Just a few seconds of watching the frantically coupling pair on his omnitool and finally he found release.

Pallin bit down on a deep guttural moan as it tried to escape his throat. His hand slowed down to a stop as his breathing reverted to slowly to normal.

_"Spirits... I am sick! What the hell is wrong with me?!"_ he mused in the hazy aftermath.

* * *

After a quick tidy up, Pallin finally emerged from his room looking as though nothing had happened.

T'Alera was carrying in a small meal for Anne. He quickly joined her and listened vaguely to her chit-chat.

The human was sitting up with the covers dragged up as far as possible on her.

She accepted the food gratefully.

While she ate, T'Alera chattered at Pallin happily but his attention was focused on Anne.

She didn't look at him, barely even spared a glance his way.

"I am sorry, Anne," he blurted out, interrupting the doctor to her shock and surprising Anne who looked up at him with wide blue eyes.

"What - what are you sorry for?" she asked meekly.

"I did not mean to walk in on you in such a compromising position like that. Forgive me. I should have thought more before just... barging in. I shall ensure that I never compromise your privacy like that again."

She gave a weak smile. "That's okay. This is your place. You don't need to say sorry." Anne returned to pick at her food.

Pallin's mandibles whirled unhappily.

For the first time since he had met her, the smile she gave to just him didn't reach her eyes.

Something had happened that deeply troubled her.

It must be that they knew she wasn't completely who she said she was.

He let out a sharp breath.

They would sort this all out.

* * *

He felt a tug on his arm and turned to look down at the doctor.

She motioned him to follow her outside.

"Yes, Doctor?" he asked quietly once they were in the living room.

"Is... is there something going on that I should know about?"

"I have no idea what you mean."

The asari frowned at him. "Do you like Anne?"

"She is a very thoughtful and – mostly - honest human. A rarity I believe. I do not wish to see her harmed."

"That's not what I meant."

Pallin stared down at T'Alera. "What did you mean then? I can assure you that I have no idea of what you are getting at."

The glum look on the asari's face suddenly disappeared and she gave Pallin a dazzling smile.

"Sorry! I just thought... crazy thoughts really! Don't mind it."

Pallin frowned as the doctor swallowed nervously and said, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Doctor."

"My name is T'Alera. You can just call me that if you like."

"If that is what you wish. Is that what you wanted to ask me?"

"No! No no no!" she giggled. "I was wondering if you were planning on going to the Councillors dinner."

"It is a requirement of my position that I attend such functions but they do tend to be... well, bland."

T'Alera beamed. "I know the feeling! I got my invite yesterday. Maybe..." she touched his arm timidly. "...maybe I'll see you there. Just nice to know that someone else will attend it that I know."

The doctor stepped back into the room with Anne, leaving Pallin slowly registering what was going on.

He rubbed his fringe carefully before shaking his head.

"Well... shit..." he muttered.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"So... that should be it for now. Just keep off your feet and get rest."

Anne gave a weak smile to the doctor.

"Thank you for all your help."

The asari laughed. "Oh, don't thank me! Thank the Executor here. He has been..."

T'Alera's eyes landed on Pallin before she murmured huskily, "...most helpful."

Pallin frowned and looked away before he started blushing.

The human's gaze flickered between the turian and asari.

"Oh..." she squeaked before curling up under the covers.

"I'll show you out," Pallin finally said a bit more curtly than he had intended.

T'Alera's face fell a little at his tone but she quickly recovered herself.

"I'll be back sometime tomorrow, Anne."

"Thank you."

* * *

She knew something was wrong the moment they left the room.

Pallin led her quickly to the apartment door without a word, his entire body clearly tensed up.

"What's wrong? Have I offended you in some way?" she gushed out as he opened the door.

The Executor's mandibles flickered gently before he dragged himself reluctantly around to face her.

"You have not offended me, Doctor. I am grateful for your help."

"I didn't mean... goddess! You must know that I like you! I have given you enough hints."

Pallin awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Doctor, I am not in the habit of fraternizing with subordinates – least of all, of other species."

T'Alera paled. "Oh..."

"Forgive me my bluntness. I am an old turian and, perhaps, too set in my ways."

She reached out and put her hand on his.

"At least... at least think about it? I can be discreet and it doesn't have to be anything serious - at least not straight away... just consider it... maybe?"

She removed her hand awkwardly before clutching her bag close.

"I better, ahem... go... I suppose."

Pallin nodded. "Thank you for your help, Doctor."

She gave him a quick smile before scurrying out.

* * *

Once the door closed, he shook his head before a deep breath escaped his lungs.

Awkward didn't quite cover what had just happened.

His feet began to move almost of their own accord – plodding a path that led back to the spare bedroom and Anne.

Pallin tapped gently on the door, waited for her permission to enter before walking in.

She was still curled up in the sheets but now, her eyes were heavy with fatigue.

This time she would sleep he mused.

"How are you feeling?" he said softly.

"Okay. Better than what I was. Thank you... for all of this. You didn't need to help me."

"Part of my job... a part I had almost forgotten about."

That answer didn't seem to hit the right chord as the human frowned, deep furrows forming in the skin of her forehead as she did.

He was just about to question her on it when she jumped in ahead of him.

"Doctor T'Alera is nice."

"I... she is and she is an excellent doctor."

The blonde head nodded in agreement. "She is. I am tired. Think I will sleep now," she whispered.

Pallin shuffled on his feet awkwardly.

"...good idea. We will need to talk when you wake. I need to know more about your past. It would be far better for you to divulge that information freely and not let me dig it up."

Those big blue eyes glanced up at him. "What if I don't?"

Pallin folded his arms. "Then I will have to take measures to secure the safety of this station and its population..."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing I am at liberty to say. Don't hide the truth from me, Anne. I will find out. Trust me when I say that you will be better protected if you tell me everything."

The human stared vacantly at the floor from where she lay.

"I think I will sleep now."

"All right... I'll be outside. Just call me if you need anything."

As he left, Pallin glanced behind him.

Anne was just staring almost blindly at the floor.

The door shut and hid her from view.

* * *

He stood silently staring at the door that separated them.

Pallin hadn't meant to be as harsh as he was but that was a thought he was becoming far too accustomed to.

There was a time when he wouldn't have cared of how his words appeared to others.

He let out a sigh and went to his kichen.

After pouring a cup of coffee, he spotted the breakfast that Anne had made for him.

It was cold.

He idly poked at the meal before he tipped it off the plate and into the recycler.

After dumping the dish in the washer, he took his drink and sat down on the couch.

That novel was still there, open on the same page on the datapad.

Pallin took a sip of his coffee, picked up the pad and started to read.

* * *

Anne stared into space, her mind racing through so many routes of escape.

She needed to get away from here, away from the Citadel and back out in to space.

Getting on to a ship would be relatively easy but she imagined leaving this apartment and the watchful gaze of Pallin would be harder.

She needed to remember what** _he_ **had taught her, what **_he_** had spent years instilling in her.

Anne closed her eyes tight and desperately remembered, images forming inside her head.

Three-fingered hands passing her bits of food to ease her hunger pangs through small cracks in the walls; the low voice almost unchanging over the years of her life - offering her comfort and telling stories to distract from reality; when he dragged her to her feet and carried her out of the facility as the alarms went off and the inmates rioted.

Anne opened her eyes and set her jaw.

He helped her escape.

She owed it to him that she stayed free.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

After a few hours of relative silence from outside the room, Anne carefully sat up.

She swung her legs awkwardly over the bed's edge before an all too familiar tickle started in her chest.

She took a few wheezing breaths to try and postpone the inevitable.

Her lungs were bad she realised as the coughing fit hit her hard.

Deep hoarse coughs rattled her small thin frame with their intensity.

She almost couldn't breath.

Just as she thought they had finally passed, another fit struck her.

She desperately gasped for air as her lungs sputtered up whatever it was that it now held.

When it had all ended, Anne broke down.

She sobbed more in frustration as she finally realised she was not strong enough to escape.

Her body was not capable of doing what she needed it to do.

* * *

Anne jumped as she heard a quiet knock on the door.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she sobbed out.

Anne closed her eyes and tried to stop the crying that now wracked her body more than the coughing fit.

She could almost see Pallin shuffling awkwardly outside the door.

"Can I come in?" he finally said softly.

She first nodded before her brain kicked in to gear. He was outside the door and not able to see her acceptance.

"You can," she finally gulped.

As the door opened, Anne desperately started to wipe away the tears pouring down her face.

She looked up through red rimmed eyes to see Pallin looking almost stricken.

His mandibles whirled in almost small circles.

"Are you... spirits, you don't seem alright. I will fetch T'Alera."

"No-oo-oo," she hissed out between sobs. "I am fine."

"You are clearly not."

"Just..." Words failed her as she broke down into incomprehensible sobbing and gasping breaths.

* * *

Pallin hovered uncertainly before he took a seat beside her on the bed.

He carefully put a hand on her back.

He was surprised as Anne turned and dived into his arms.

She buried her face into his tunic while still gasping those horrible rattling breaths.

Pallin didn't know what to do.

After a minute or so of awkwardness, he finally put his arms lightly around her.

Apparently it was the right move as she slowly began to lose the desperate shaking in her form.

After twenty minutes of this strange entanglement in silence, Pallin finally drew back from Anne.

Her crying had died down to the occasional sniffle but her eyes were red and scared looking.

He couldn't help but gently wipe away a stray tear from her cheek.

"What has happened, Anne?"

"Please... Please don't... don't put me in jail! I can't stand being in small spaces! I can't be in a cell!" she sobbed.

"Oh. Who said anything about putting you in jail?"

She frowned at him.

In spite of himself, Pallin did find it relatively cute.

"You said that you would have to protect the station and..."

"Ahhh. Well, that doesn't mean I would jail you. There are other ways for me to safeguard the station that doesn't involve imprisoning you. I would like to make sure of both your safety and this station's at the same time. The best way for me to do that would be for you to tell me as much as you remember. By doing so, you would be helping me in that task."

The wild fear slightly faded from her eyes to his satisfaction.

"Oh... I-I-I... I would like to help..."

"Anne... you don't like being in small spaces. Is there a reason for that?"

The small human froze up and averted her gaze.

Pallin realised immediately that talking about that aspect of herself had just been taken off the table.

"You don't need to answer that right now," he said carefully.

* * *

He took a look around the room.

His spare bedroom was not too small but perhaps enough to seem a little like confinement.

"Anne, would you like to sit with me in the living room? I have a vid screen I very rarely use but I am sure there must be something on there that might interest you. I realise that even though you are sick, you will still need entertainment. Sitting on the couch in a blanket should not tax you too much."

He internally smirked as he obviously hit the right chord.

Anne looked at him with more of that weariness and fear gone.

"Really? I wouldn't have to be in here all the time?"

"No. I can imagine that being in this room has given your mind ample time to see the worst in everything. I am not a monster that seeks to confine you, Anne."

Something flickered in those blue depths - something that transferred across all species but Pallin just couldn't place it at that moment in time.

"I don't... think you are a monster, Executor."

"Good," he coughed. "Well, lets get you out of here. Wrap yourself up in the blanket."

* * *

Anne got to her feet shakily and weakly attempted to do as he asked.

The turian grew impatient at her slow movements and quickly yanked the blanket off the bed before wrapping it tightly around her.

Anne squeaked a little in surprise as Pallin swung her bonelessly up into his arms and carried her out.

He deposited her carefully on to the softer of his two couches – propping her up with cushions - before twisting his vid screen to face her.

After passing her the controls to it and after explaining how it all worked once he saw the blank look on her face regarding them, Pallin glanced at the time.

"You must be hungry at this stage," he said softly.

Anne looked up from her struggles with the vid controller.

"I... ahem... a little?"

Pallin sniffed. "Well, I can't cook levo but I do know how to order in."

He pottered off to the kitchen where he picked up a thin holographic leaflet. He handed it over to Anne.

"Serves both dextro and levo. Pick what you want. I will get something from there too. I must say that - in truth - I can't cook dextro meals either."

His small attempt at humour was well received.

Anne looked at him and smiled.

It finally reached her eyes.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The food was good.

At least his meal was anyway. Anne had made no complaints over her own levo variety but Pallin still watched her closely.

She was an almost timid eater. Often she would glance at him almost as if seeking his permission to continue eating. She seemed to expect him at any moment to take away her food. After about twenty minutes or so, she became confident enough to eat unimpeded of her worries.

He merely concentrated on his own meal while attempting to find something interesting to watch.

That was another thing that struck him.

Anne was completely enthralled with the vid screen and the programmes that they had the choice of viewing.

Her innocent amazement of it all spoke volumes to him of how sheltered - or hidden - she had been from this most basic of tech.

* * *

"So... this is not really happening now? And those people are pretending to be other people?"

Pallin took a sip of water to cool his throat after a particularly spicy piece of his meal made it way to his stomach.

"They are called actors and their job is to, well, play pretend I suppose. They act out stories for others entertainment."

"Oh."

"This is a recorded broadcast so this would likely have been filmed some time ago."

Anne frowned. "Okay. I think I got it."

He smiled at her. "That frown doesn't say you understand."

She jumped a little and flushed pink from the opposite couch where she was bundled up in blankets.

"I-I get it. I do. It's just..."

"What?"

Anne stared down at the controller in her hand. "You must think I am such an idiot for not knowing these things."

"I don't see it as a problem, Anne. How long were you held for?"

The human froze up before sinking back beneath the edge of the blanket.

Pallin sighed. "At some point, you will need to tell me. You can trust me on this."

Anne nodded causing the blanket to shake a little.

* * *

After a few minutes, Pallin heard Anne say quietly, "I don't remember ever not being there. Except for now."

He tilted his head and stared at the human who was trying to make herself even smaller than what she was.

"You don't remember anything? Even from when you were younger?"

"No. I remember being small. It's just... I was small while I was there."

Pallin's mandibles flickered as he processed it. Anne never had a life outside of her captivity.

"What about your parents? Any family?"

She shook her head.

"Tell me about where you were kept then."

"It was small, cold during the winter. We all got extra blankets when the snows came."

"There were others?"

She nodded. "Lots of us. Not many like me. Some were tricked into it. They were always angry, shouting and fighting whenever they could."

"I imagine they would be. Can you describe the place to me? Do you know who captured you?"

She shook her head. "They were like me. Human. I never got to know the guards that well cause they kept switching them. I think it was because they felt sorry for me. Some of them used to give me extra rations if they could do so without being spotted. That was normally just before they were transferred away. I know the name they all went under. I have it drawn on to my skin so that I would always remember."

Pallin frowned. "Drawn?"

* * *

Anne sat up and extended her left arm to him. Pallin held it in his hands. He turned it over to show some scarring on the soft pale underside.

"I don't see any words, Anne..."

"I drew a picture on there with piece of metal. Can you see it?"

Pallin frowned and squinted his eyes. "Looks sort of like a three-headed varren?"

Anne nodded. "Yeah! One of the prisoners used to tell stories at lights out. He told one of a human who went into the underworld and met with a sort of dog there. He said it was like a type of varren but with hair. My... ah... friend... drew me a picture of one so I knew what they looked like."

"You had a friend?"

Anne fidgeted uncomfortably. "He... he was a late arrival. But nice. Really nice to me and the others. There was a crack between our cells and he would pass little things he stole to me."

"And he showed you what a varren looks like. I see." Pallin tapped her arm, "So what is with the three-headed one on your arm?"

"That was the name! The name of the group that held me! It was the same as the dog in the story! At least it sounded the same. I overheard a few of the guards talking about it. It was Cerberus!"

* * *

Pallin's eyes went wide.

Anne took one look at the expression on his face before she took her arm back carefully. "You.. you know of them... right?"

"I do," Pallin muttered.

He stood up and went to the window before pacing a little. His brain was ticking over rapidly. Pallin suddenly stopped and turned his attention to Anne. The small human was gazing at him concerned.

"I need to know everything that you remember. How did you end up where you were?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I just... I just was always there. Jack would come and visit me sometimes."

"Jack?"

Anne nodded. "That's the name he told me. At the start, he was nice... sorta. He didn't shout as much. Didn't..." she shrunk back inside the blankets, "...didn't tell the doctors to do things to me. Then he changed."

Pallin frowned. "Anne, can you-"

The human interrupted him. "I am really tired. I rather not talk about it right now."

* * *

That's when he noticed it – the tears pouring down her face. Anne wasn't sniffling or wailing like he would expect. She was calm but the tears just flowed like a river from those large blue eyes she had focused on a spot on the floor.

Pallin wandered over the kitchen area, picked up a piece of tissue before he padded over to the couch. He took a seat beside her than handed her the tissue.

Anne gave a shy grateful smile as she wiped the tears away.

Pallin picked up the vid remote, tapped a few buttons before finding a suitably comedic film. He spread his arms out along the back of the couch.

"I think this should be quite amusing. Got rave reviews I seem to recall," he sniffed.

Pallin focused his gaze on the screen before smiling slightly as the other weight on the couch shifted and he felt Anne lean back next to him.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Anne was asleep halfway through the movie.

She did have not a gentle easing into sleep but instead a sudden falling into unconsciousness.

Pallin wasn't overly worried at that turn of events but had scanned her vitals anyway.

The human curled herself up into a ball and crushed herself close to him with the blanket forming over her like a cocoon.

Pallin idly petted her hair as he watched the rest of the film before finally finding it within him to get to his feet and carry her back to her bed.

He had shaken his head at the thought - _her bed_.

Anne had been here less than 48 hours and already she was finding a way to fit in.

It unsettled him.

* * *

Once she was securely ensconced in the spare room, Pallin made his way out to the small office he had long ago set up.

He flicked a talon over the terminal and activated the machine.

A number of small programs popped up against a bland cream background. The constant ticker of the Citadel news-feed ran across the bottom of the screen which he glanced over while his inbox refreshed itself.

He had a few messages – two from Dr T'Alera although he felt the need to leave those for the time being.

He began to briefly skim over the rest of his messages. There was nothing too urgent to his immense relief.

Pallin quickly tapped out replies in his usual efficient manner. He did not believe in lengthy prose where only a few short sentences would suffice.

Once completed, he leaned back in his chair and stared at screen.

His mind raced over the details he knew so far about Anne.

Cerberus was a dangerous outfit he knew. He leaned forward to rest his head on his hands.

Suddenly he was a flurry of activity. Pallin deftly recalled and then wrote down all the information he had received from Anne, typing everything he could remember into an encrypted file.

Once done, he decided on one more course of action for the day.

Pallin needed to make a start on finding out who she really was.

* * *

If the human was to be believed than she had no further information regarding her real identity to give.

Pallin shuddered. Growing up as a lab rat was no way for anyone to be raised – humans included.

His own prejudices did not extend to that level of malice for the pyjaks.

Pallin padded over to the couch and quickly scanned over it.

He smiled a little before collecting several fine blonde strands of hair. It was just what he needed. He shoved them into a paper bag before grabbing a jacket.

Just as he strode out of his apartment, Pallin stopped.

He went back in, picked up a datapad and quickly wrote a message.

The turian tiptoed into the spare room and placed the pad on the bedside cabinet.

At least now if she woke up it wouldn't be to complete emptiness. Pallin could only trust that she knew he wasn't out to harm her.

Still - just to be sure she couldn't easily escape - he locked the apartment door solidly before making his way to the Academy.

* * *

It was late in the cycle when he arrived.

Fellow C-Sec officers saluted him as he walked in.

Pallin nodded at every greeting, stopped and said a few words of encouragement to a newly graduated asari before making his way to the offices.

He rolled his eyes and sighed the moment he caught sight of Vakarian at his desk.

The boy was running himself ragged and it showed considering he was currently face down and snoring lightly.

Pallin padded over.

He stood for a time staring down at the younger turian before finally shaking him awake.

"Huh... oh..."

Vakarian got to his feet and shook his head briefly. He rubbed his eyes before fixing his gaze on Pallin.

"Executor."

"Vakarian, this is not your shift. You should have clocked out..." he glanced down at his omnitool, "... seven hours ago. Explain yourself."

Pallin almost immediately regretted that last sentence. Vakarian's face lit up with that inner fire he got when ever he was on to something he felt passionate about.

"I have looked in to Saleon's escape. I think I might have a lead on..."

Pallin put up his hand to stop the younger turian's speech.

"Vakarian, write it up. Send it to me. I will review and see about freeing up resources. In the meantime I am ordering you home."

"But sir..."

"I don't care. You will burn yourself out."

He started to leave but stopped as Vakarian muttered, "My father never did."

Pallin turned on his heel.

"Your father didn't burn out because he knew when he needed to stop and rest. Go home."

The older turian walked away while shaking his head.

* * *

The forensics department had only a skeleton crew. Pallin dropped off the bag containing Anne's hair strands and left strict instructions for the technician who would process them.

"Once the tests have been completed, I want the results forwarded to me and me alone. Are you clear on that?"

The asari nodded. "Of course, Executor."

As he passed back through the offices, Pallin made sure to look out for Vakarian.

The other turian had done as Pallin had ordered.

Vakarian's terminal was shut down and the turian himself was nowhere to be seen.

Pallin headed homewards.

* * *

Back at the apartment, Anne was still in a restful sleep to his relief.

He had half expected to return and find her attempting to hack the main door.

Pallin rolled his neck to ease the strain before making his way to his own room.

Tiredness hit him in a wave.

He yanked off his clothes and collapsed naked into his bed.

He stared at the ceiling and mulled over the Cerberus connection in his mind.

Pallin finally closed his eyes and let sleep claim him.


End file.
